- By Jessica King, Instructor at Peloton Cycle

Variety! (Food, music, love, shampoo, etc.) We need it. Our body needs it too. Cross training has proven time and time again to yield results and improvement in overall strength and flexibility and can lend itself to massive transformation, if that’s what you’re after. Too much of one thing is never a good thing, right? By crossing, switching, and changing we welcome opportunity for growth and consequently find balance in the variety.
 
I cycle 7-10 times a week. The repetitious movement and potential for over training can be a slippery slope landing you in a cold, slushy, pile of injury, not to mention boredom. To prevent such situations, I like to keep things interesting by including these 5 plyometric exercises into my weekly routine. They work total body, with a focus on my core and butt. Hey, hey ladies! All in favor of keeping that booty high and tight say, “I”! Now, get to work.

Your Plan: Do all 5 moves 3 times each
Your Swag: You’ll need 8-12 lb dumbbells or barbell, an exercise mat, and some cojones

1. Roly Poly Burpee - Works entire body; plyometric
   
   Begin seated on an exercise mat with your hands placed at the sides of your knees and chin tucked. Next, roll back and forth beginning from your tailbone to the base of your neck (one vertebrae at a time) to stand. Tuck jump, bringing your knees to your chest, land, and drop into the base of a push-up. Engage your core and complete the push-up, extending your arms straight into a high plank. Jump your feet outside of your hands, landing in a deep squat. Stay low, sit and repeat 10x.
    
2. Needle and Thread Plank - Works shoulders, back, core
   
   Start in a high plank with feet a little wider than hips distance apart, arms and legs extended, body in a straight line from head to heels. Rotate, opening to one side raising one arm to the sky reaching a 6 o’clock needle position. Maintaining the body position, begin to thread the working arm through (in a slow, controlled motion) rotating the hip, passing under the chest, to tap the opposing shoulder blade and bring shoulders square to the floor. Repeat opening and closing 10x, each side.
    
3. Bridge, with Knee Extension - Works hamstrings, butt, core
   
   Lie on your back, with knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Heels, knees, hips and shoulders should all be in line with one another. Pull the belly button towards the spine, begin to press into the heels, and raise the hips high into the air until knees, hips and shoulders are in line. Slowly lower into starting position and repeat 10x with both feet flat, 10x with right leg extended towards the ceiling and 10x with the left leg extended towards the ceiling.
    
4. Row, Tap Back - Works back, butt, quads, core
   
   Begin standing with feet hips distance apart (generally two fists wide) and a significant bend in the knees. Holding an 8-12 lb barbell, or dumbbells allow the arms to straighten and extend on a diagonal. Pull the arms into the body as you tap one foot back with a straight leg. Do not allow the head to bob up or the supporting knee to straighten. Replace foot and extend arms out to starting position, switch feet and repeat on the opposite side. Do 20 reps.
    
5. Squat Jump, Curtsy, Lunge - Works butt, hamstrings, quads, core
   
   Start at the base of a deep squat, feet wide. Jump up, extending legs straight beneath you, landing down back into the squat. Cross the right leg behind the left, placing it down next to the outside of the left foot, ending in a deep curtsy. You’re your inner thighs squeezing together and shoulders stacked on top of your hips. Right foot then moves behind you stepping back into a low lunch, feet hip’s distance apart with the knees in two, 90-degree angles and shoulders still over hips. Replace right foot to starting position in a deep squat and repeat 10x on the right, 10x on the left.

ABOUT JESS

A natural red head, fearless artist and textbook badass, Jessica King is an emotionally driven creature passionate about helping people take control of their own lives.  A displaced Southern Belle, Jessica has discovered a playground in New York City. She is an indoor cycling coach at Peloton Cycle, certified NASM personal trainer, lifestyle coach and professional dancer. She had the fortunate opportunity of securing a top 10 position on FOX’s national hit TV show, “So You Think You Can Dance," season IV. It was through the SYTYCD platform that she won an Emmy for her performance in Tyce Diorio’s contemporary routine, “Silence.” After SYTYCD she landed the lead role in Franco Dragone’s, Le Reve at the Wynn in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also has recently launched her own lifestyle coaching brand, Asscend.  Book a class with Jess today!